DNR News

June 15, 2012

The second tournament in the 24th season of the South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series took place over the weekend of June 6-9 at the Bohicket Marina and Market on Seabrook Island. A total of 27 boats participated in the Bohicket Marina Invitational Billfish Tournament, and a total of 32 billfish were released; 10 blue marlin, 14 white marlin, and 8 sailfish. No billfish were landed. Wally Jenkins, Series Program Director for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said, "Bohicket decide to move to a date after school was out, and based on the number of boats I believe it paid off for them. In addition, we had more youth anglers participate than we have seen in years.”

The tournament's Outstanding Billfish Boat and Outstanding Billfish Conservationist awards went to Summer Girl, owned by Steve Leasure, Robbie Hooker and John Smith, Jr of Charleston, SC and captained by Steve Leasure. The winning boat earned 1,800 release points for the catch and release of three blue marlin. “This is the first time since 2008 that a boat has released three blue marlin during a single tournament, and points to the great blue marlin bite we have witnessed both here and two weeks ago in Georgetown” said DNR biologist Amy Dukes.

Miss Magnolia, owned and captained by Tram Colket of Hilton Head Island, SC, was awarded second place Outstanding Billfish Boat, earning 1,500 points for the catch and release of two blue marlin and one white marlin.

Third place honors for Outstanding Billfish Boat went to Cotton Picker, owned by Wynn Cowan of Savannah, GA and captained by Gene Sauers. The crew caught and released one blue marlin and two white marlin to garner 1,200 points.

Summer Girl was also the Blue Water Conservation winner with the tag and release of 14 dolphin over the course of the tournament.

Outstanding Dolphin was awarded to 13-year-old Gray Eubank for his 53.4 pound dolphin caught aboard Sportin’ Life. The boat is owned by Gray’s father, Graham Eubank, and is captained by Mike Glaesner.

Back Down took the Outstanding Wahoo award. The 25.2 pound fish was caught by angler Will Frederick.
Kimberly Smith of Beaufort, SC earned top honors as Outstanding Lady Angler for the release of one blue marlin aboard Summer Girl. Second place for Outstanding Lady Angler went to Helen Tarbutton of Sandersville, GA on Legal Holiday; she caught and released one white marlin and one sailfish. Grace Foerster of Seabrook Island, SC won third place Outstanding Lady Angler aboard Persistence for the catch and release of one white marlin.
In addition to earning the Outstanding Dolphin award, Gray Eubank was also awarded the first place.

Outstanding Youth Angler for his 53.4 pound fish caught aboard Sportin’ Life. Nine-year-old Bradley Tarbutton won second place for Outstanding Youth Angler for a 46.2 pound dolphin caught on Legal Holiday. Third place Outstanding Youth Angler went to Fisher Jackson (age 12) aboard Summer Girl for the catch of a 33.7 pound dolphin.

Points for Governor's Cup tournaments are awarded as follows: 600 points for a released blue marlin, 300 points for a released white marlin, and 200 points for a released sailfish. In addition, boats are awarded 25 participation points for each Series tournament entered, up to a maximum of three events. Current standings for the 24th Annual South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series are as follows: Sadie Beth (2,550), Summer Girl (1825), Blue Sky (1750), Caramba (1550), Home Run (1550).

Three tournaments remain in the 2012 South Carolina Governor's Cup Billfishing Series:

For more information on the South Carolina Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series, contact Wally Jenkins at (843) 953-9835 or JenkinsW@dnr.sc.gov, and Amy Dukes at (843) 953-9365 or DukesA@dnr.sc.gov.

Boats participating in the Series amass points for billfish either landed or caught and released. Tagging is optional and not required for Series points. Anglers compete for four major awards: Outstanding Billfish (single heaviest billfish), Outstanding Billfish Boat (most accumulated points) and Outstanding Billfish Conservationist (most points for tagged or released fish), and the Blue Water Conservation Award (most accumulated tag and release points for dolphin, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna).

By encouraging live tag and release, the Series has focused attention on the sharp decline of Atlantic billfish and encouraged conservation of all marine resources.